House Intelligence chairman calls for large US role in post-Gadhafi Libya

The United States must take a prominent role in Libya if Moammar Gadhafi is removed from power to ensure the embattled leader’s stockpile of deadly weapons doesn’t “fall into the wrong hands,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said Monday.

“We can be proud of the role the United States and its allies have played,” Rogers said in a news release. “Assertive action by the United States can make a critical difference in the struggle against dictatorship and oppression. But this is not over yet. Even after [Gadhafi] is out of power we will have to step up and lead to ensure U.S. national security interests are safeguarded.

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“In particular, we must ensure that [Gadhafi’s] stockpiles of advanced weapons, chemical weapons and explosives don’t fall into the wrong hands.”

Many House Republicans were strongly opposed to President Obama’s decision to use the U.S. military to help kick off — and later support — a NATO operation to assist rebel forces’ efforts to drive Gadhafi from power.

But Rogers broke with his House GOP colleagues in supporting the operation from the onset.